“Watford had their moments but mostly around set-pieces,” Jurgen Klopp assessed.

“The first was good, the second unlucky, you can get goals like this and the third was offside so it’s unlucky. We had enough chances to do it but we couldn’t take them which is pretty much normal early in the season.

“I wasn’t happy with positioning at 3-2 because we were too deep which meant long balls in behind which can lead to chances, which is what they want.”

“Of course we knew it before but after this game we have a lot of things to do, if we win 3-2 we have a lot of things to do and we have that now it’s 3-3. We also showed a lot of really good situations.

“The first goal was a really good and they run and we lose them. That’s not really a team problem, it’s a challenge and that’s how it is in football. The second is unlucky because we had it but it’s more formation.

“I think Alberto lost the challenge, which could maybe have been a foul, and there should already have been a player from us in the half spaces which would have meant you can’t play the pass in behind.

“The third we can’t defend. If you concede offside goals then you can’t defend them.”

Reaction in the frenzied world of UK punditry wasn’t as kind, particularly given that takes Klopp’s tally to 27 set piece goals conceded during his tenure, more than any of the title contenders in that time.

But, what’s the solution?

Not even colleagues Jamie Redknapp and Jamie Carragher could come to a conclusion on Sky Sports. In fact, they couldn’t even agree on the source of the problems.

Simply, it’s just chaos!

Redknapp said: “I look at that Liverpool back four and there’s a reason why they concede so many goals because they’re disorganised and they have no leaders at the back. Who wanted to head that ball there? Only Watford players.”

Carragher tore shreds of Klopp’s zonal marking system, and while he agreed Virgil van Dijk would improve the defence, he said that one man alone couldn’t fix this problem on the park.

“Why Firmino is the central man I will never know, he should be blocking him (Okaka) but no one does in the most dangerous position in the six-yard box. You’ve got a centre forward there at 5ft 10in against Okaka, the biggest unit you have ever seen. You just have to knock him out the way.

What is Roberto Firmino, left, doing in the heart of Liverpool’s corner defending?Source: AP

“Nothing changes, again. That first half was like Liverpool at their worst last season so then you’ve had a pre-season and nothing’s changing. What have they been working on?”

He continued: “Liverpool lose the ball and their centre backs are exposed, even if you have Franco Baresi there you are going to get exposed.

‘It’s almost impossible. What defenders can do that?’ Van Dijk will improve it, yeah, but one man can’t change it all.

“If you want to challenge for the Premier League then you need to concede 30 or 35 goals, so they need to take 15 goals away. The manager has been there 18 months now but there has been no change.

“It’s not rocket science how Liverpool concede goals, set-pieces and counter attacks. It’s not just players making one mistake, the whole system looks wrong and set-pieces are a mess. They have been for a long time.”

It was a distraction from a performance where Liverpool scored three times, playing some breathless combinations in the attacking third.

That was muddied, however, by much of what happened elsewhere, where a very spirited and high octane Watford were rewarded for their approach.

JESUS v AGUERO … NAH, PLAY BOTH

Pep Guardiola joined the ‘three at the back’ fashion with a 3-1-4-2 formation at Brighton and Hove Albion.

That allowed the Manchester City boss to unleash Gabriel Jesus alongside Sergio Aguero, while also loading his best talent in the XI, with Fernandinho protecting Kevin de Bruyne and a cleanly shaven David Silva centrally, with Danilo and Kyle Walker marauding down either flank.

With Mat Ryan in goal, City were denied for 70 minutes, before the mountain 78% possession eventually taking its toll.

Guardiola said: “Before the Sergio goal we had chances in the first half and the second half and in these sort of games when teams defend with 10 players, deeper, deeper it’s so important to score the first goal,” Guardiola told a news conference.

“After the first one it was a little bit easier but the first game is always a little bit complicated. We saw what happened in many [other] games. Especially with a newly promoted team when they have the passion, the fans and no pressure. It was difficult but we did it.

“We were stable, we concede just one shot after one corner and after that nothing happened. But we have to improve.

“We attacked too slowly we have to be a little bit quicker and a little bit more precise with more accuracy in our passes.”

Gabriel Jesus, Sergio AgueroSource: AFP

CHELSEA TROUBLE

It was a calamity at Stamford Bridge, a man and three goals down by the interval as the home faithful voiced their disapproval.

The fact that 20-year-old Jeremie Boga was forced into a debut on the opening day highlights Chelsea’s flawed squad composition, which is now compounded by suspensions to Gary Cahill and Cesc Fabregas.

Many had predicted – and Conte even foreshadowed it – another difficult title defence for Chelsea after their mistakes two seasons ago. The early signs are not good …

“I’m not worried because we have to trust in our work and today there were three injured players, Pedro, (Eden) Hazard, (Tiemoue) Bakayoko, and one player missing for a ban, (Victor) Moses,” Conte said – if you believe he’s not worried.

“In the next game I don’t know if Pedro is able to recover from his injury, but for sure we’ll have two players out for a ban, Cahill and Fabregas. We’ll find the right solution.”

A bench with an average age of 21 highlights why Chelsea have been linked with the likes of Danny Drinkwater, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ross Barkley.

ROONEY’S SPECIAL DAY

Love him or hate him, love Manchester United or hate Manchester United, love Everton or hate Everton, you can’t help but feel a little bit relieved for Wayne Rooney.

Back at home at Goodison Park after 13 years away, he couldn’t have asked for a better start.

“It was a special moment for me. There was a lot of relief and a lot of emotion. It was an important goal just before half-time.

“I’ve felt at home since I first stepped in the training ground. I’ve been looking forward to this moment for a long time.”

ABSENT STARS

Virgil van Dijk, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Philippe Coutinho were three wantaway stars fans were robbed of seeing in the Premier League this weekend thanks to contract standoffs, while Diego Costa was also absent thanks to Chelsea’s stance.